Thursday, December 31, 2009

Full Moon December 31, 2009, 11:13 am pst, partial Ketu eclipse 11:24 am pstThis year ends under the influence of a blue moon in the sign of Gemini. The month of December winds down with two symbolic themes reoccurring: blue and Gemini. As I discussed in previous posts the color blue permeated media images of the Norway spiral, the Nobel Prize ceremony, the COP-15 conference, and the Na'vi from the movie Avatar (thanks to Andre Heath for creating this cool collage).

The blue moon is another opportunity to shower us with a blue vibration that may trigger indigo and luciferian consciousness.

The term 'blue moon' generally refers to the second full moon in a month and occurs once every 2.7 years. We have blue moons because our calendar system was changed from a lunar year with 13 months of 28 days to a solar year with 12 months with various days. There are 13 full moons in a solar year, and the left over full moon becomes a blue one.

The last blue moon to shine on New Year's Eve was 19 years ago, in 1990 and the next will be in 2028. However, the moon will not actually be blue, except in retouched photos. The phrase 'once in a blue moon' really means an impossibility, as in never happening. So the convergence of all these improbable events and phenomena is intriguing. Are they all an illusion? Or is something impossible about to occur?

The Gemini theme first appeared during the Geminid meteor shower in mid-December. The annual Geminid meteor shower gets the name 'Geminids' because it appears to radiate from the constellation Gemini. I discussed the name of its source, a comet/asteroid called Phaeton who was the son of the Sun God, Helios. This story relates a solar theme popular at this time of year: a father Sun god sacrificing his own son to save the Earth and mankind. The meteor showers symbolizes pieces of Phaeton's exploded chariot falling to Earth.

It is intriguing that this Gemini full moon falls in the nakshatra of Ardra which is associated with the blue star, Sirius. This star is also connected to a sacrificial themes throughout many ancient and modern traditions (Egyptian - Osirius, Greek-Orion, and even new age--Christ consciousness) and even figures prominently in UFO lore.

The Hindu myth associated with Ardra revolves around the story of the demon Taraka who practiced severe austerities in order to receive the gift of 'undefeatable power' from Brahma. Thus Ardra's gift is yatna shakti, the power to make gains in life through great effort. Once Taraka attained this power, he turned around and began to oppress the gods. Could this reversal of power also be happening now? Have humans attained enough knowledge that they are turning on the gods, our ancient alien progenitors?

According to the Hindu story, the gods began to fear Taraka's power, and responded by imploring Shiva to do something about this terrible threat. Shiva created a champion, Karttikeya or Skanda, to combat Taraka. After spending his formative years with the seven sisters, in the refuge and training ground of the Pleiades, Karttikeya went forth and battled Taraka. Karttikeya was able to destroy the demon, and so rescued the world.

The story of Taraka is similar to the Greek myth of the Titan Prometheus, who stole fire from Zeus and gave it to man.

Zeus was so furious that he sent Pandora, the first woman, to live with man. According to Hesiod, each god helped create her by giving her unique gifts. Zeus ordered Hephaestus to mold her out of Earth as part of the punishment of mankind for Prometheus' theft of the secret of fire, and all the gods joined in offering this 'beautiful evil' seductive gifts.

According to the myth, out of curiosity, Pandora opened a jar, commonly referred to as 'Pandora's box' that contained all evils that would later plague mankind. By the time she closed the jar, only hope remained.

So like the Biblical Eve in the Garden of Eden, a woman's curiosity was responsible for bringing sin and evil into the world. Is this why calendar makers shifted from a Pagan lunar calendar to a Christian solar calendar? But according to the gods, original sin is the desire for knowledge and light? So what kind of gods were they -- to be fearful that their children be full of light and knowledge? I have yet to see the movie Avatar which takes place on a moon called Pandora, but I have a feeling I might see similar themes all cast in a blue hue.

Today's full moon will also undergo a partial lunar eclipse by the south node, Ketu. Its psychic effects are unpredictable ranging from the gift of new insight to the release of repressed emotions. As Ketu is a moksha karaka, or indicator of enlightenment, its power during this eclipse may be to release this spiritual energy. A New Years meditation may be more powerful than a glass of bubbly this year, but either one will release the power of the blue moon.

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

The annual Geminid meteor shower reached its peak on Monday. This meteor shower gets the name "Geminids" because it appears to radiate from the constellation Gemini.

On December 13th, Earth passed through a stream of debris from extinct comet 3200 Phaethon. The encounter produced a surge of more than 160 Geminid meteors per hour. The timing of the peak favored observers in Europe and the Middle East, many of whom said it was the finest display of Geminids they had ever seen.

The Geminids have a reputation for being a bit of a mystery. Most meteor showers are historic, documented and recorded for hundred of years, and we know them as being cometary debris. But according to the article Phaeton Place:Inside the Geminid Meteor Shower, "When astronomers first began looking for the Geminids' parent comet, they found none. After decades of searching, it wasn't until October 11, 1983 that Simon Green and John K. Davies, using data from NASA's Infrared Astronomical Satellite, detected an orbital object which the next night was confirmed by Charles Kowal to match the Geminid meteoroid stream. But this was no comet, it was an asteroid."

So initially this 'asteroid' was designated as 1983 TB, but later renamed 3200 Phaethon. The original hypothesis was that since Phaethon's orbit passes through the asteroid belt, it may have collided with other asteroids, creating rocky debris. It used to be believed that comets didn't break up. But the more it was studied, it became clear that this asteroid behaved like a comet without developing a tail. Phaethon is probably an extinct comet that has gathered a thick layer of interplanetary dust during its travels, yet retains the ice-like nucleus.

What is also intriguing is that the Geminid meteor shower rate has been increasing. Jupiter has been attracting the shards of Phaeton and its meteoroid stream as well as drawing it closer and closer to Earth's orbit.

In Greek mythology Phaeton is either the son of Helios, the sun god; or son of Eos, the Dawn Goddess. In Ovid's Metamorphoses Phaeton seeks assurance that his mother, Clymene, is telling the truth that his father is indeed the sun god Helios. After receiving his father's promise to drive the sun chariot as proof of paternity, Phaeton fails to control it leaving the Earth in danger of burning up.

Zeus sends a thunderbolt to prevent the disaster and kills Phaeton.

The name Phaeton means the "shining" and may also refer to the Morningstar, Venus also called Lucifer, the lightbringer. The Minoans called Phaeton Adymus, by which they meant the morning and evening star. I can't help but wonder if the myth has some astronomical meaning or reference? Some astronomers believe that in the distant past Venus was knocked out of its orbit. Could Zeus's thunderbolt be a natural, or artificial (ie by alien astronauts) rectification to save the Earth? Is that why Venus is such a barren and hostile planet?

I've been fascinated with the idea of Venus as the harbinger of destruction as illustrated in my Friday the 13th post, Sunspots, Venus Cycles, and Influenza. It was first suggested in Immanuel Velikovsky's Worlds in Collision (1950). In this intensely controversial book, Velikovsky argued that many seemingly unbelievable stories in the Old Testament are actually true recollections of times when Venus nearly collided with the Earth – when it was still a comet and had not yet become the docile planet that we know today. He contended that Venus caused most of strange events of the Exodus. He cites legends in many other cultures indicating that the effects of the near-collision were global. The scientific community rejected his wildly unorthodox book, however it became a bestseller. And this idea still makes apocalyptic headlines.

The truth is our universe is a dynamic sea of rocky and energetic travelers. Whether asteroid, meteors, or cosmic rays, all are heralds of change, and cyclical evolution in which even the children of the gods may fall. What is intriguing to me is the protective act of intercession that is also described in mythology. Be it alien intervention, boons of the gods, protective CMEs discharged from an intelligent Sun, or cosmic intelligence in the form of gamma rays, we are not only its beloved children, but perhaps 'it' too.

And one final note, the timing of this years Geminids also coincides with the last days of Venus being in the morning star position. On January 13, 2010 Venus will make an inferior conjunction with the Sun and shamanically transforming into Venus Evening star, Hesparus, goddess of love, until October 2010. Let's hope this means that its powers of wisdom, charm, grace and control over the unconscious asuras will return to full strength and inspire world peace and love within each and every one of us.

Thursday, December 10, 2009

Early on Wednesday morning a spiraling white light appeared in the Norwegian sky around 7:50 AM local time.

Currently it is being reported that this phenomenon was the result of a failed test launch of a Russian Missile. Click here. But its strange synchronicity with CERN's world record energy collisions and Obama's visit to Norway to receive his controversial Nobel Peace Prize have raised a few eyebrows.

CERN's Large Hadron Collider (LHC) smashed together subatomic particles at the highest energies ever reached by a human-made accelerator and the giant ATLAS detector observed the products of the record-breaking reactions whizzing through its sophisticated tracking devices:

And the next day Obama solemnly receives his nobel Peace Prize acknowledging the irony of receiving it in a time of War and deployment of more troop. Notice how 'blue' everything is in Oslo.

The UFO and conspiracy communities suggest that the stunning light display may be part of Project Bluebeam, HAARP, a stargate, a blackhole created by a renegade boson from particle busting CERN, or first contact from a UFO. Andre Heath's The Alien Project is a great resource for more on this topic. The New Age community Lightworkers describe it as a Stargate Portal with a cosmic gift.

With so much speculation, I thought it would be intriguing to look at the Horary or Event chart, called Prashna in Vedic Astrology, to see if it might shed some additional light or meaning on this strange phenomenon. In astrology, a Prashna chart is created for the date, time and place of a particular event. Usually the rising sign and its ruler are assessed to gain insight into influences surrounding the event and an outlook for possible developments stemming from that event.

Using the 7:50 am time for Tromso, Norway, this Prashna chart has the constellation Libra rising, in the Nakshatra Vishakha. The chart ruler is Venus, currently as morningstar, in Scorpio's nakshatra Anuradha, placed in the 2nd house with the Sun. The second house, or Bhava, is indicator of family, right eye, food, wealth, education, manner and source of death, self-acquisition and optimism. When the ruler of the 1st house is placed in the second it indicates efforts result in profits, family is a source pride, and as the planet Venus is a benefic, a truth may be revealed.

Venus is placed in the nakshatra Anuradha, the 17th nakshatra. According to Vedic astrologer Prash Trivedi the number 17 is usually seen as a bringer of celestial waters down to the earth plane. It allows for safe refuge. Anuradha is also the nakshatra presiding over numerology and known as the decoder of the secrets of the universe. 17's magic goes back to ancient mystery cults of Egypt and some believe it is used to trigger the subconscious mind and ready it for download. It popped up all over this story, which Chris Knowles covers on his blog The Secret Sun. As the chart ruler is placed in the 17th nakshatra, this might indicate the event is indeed a release of cosmic information to the earth. In tarot, the 17th major arcana card is the Star card.

According to the Eclectic Tarot: With Aquarius as its ruling sign, The Star is a card that looks to the future. It does not predict any immediate or powerful change, but it does predict hope and healing. This card suggests clarity of vision, spiritual insight. And, most importantly, that unexpected help will be coming, with water to quench the Querent's thirst, with a guiding light to the future.

Anurada contains three stars in the body of Scorpio near the star Alpha Centauri. Alpha Centauri is the closest star to our solar system, and as such is the focus of a lot of recent astronomical research for an earth-like planet. As the nearest star to earth it also has captured the imagination of many science fiction writers and is currently the location for the latest science fiction movie, James Cameron's Avatar due to be released next week. Avatar depicts a gas giant with a habitable moon, Pandora whose blue skin inhabitants include centaur-like creatures. Intriguing stellar synchronicity for the release of this film, eh.

In April 2007 the first exoplanet, Gliese 581 was announced. At that time it was the closest-known in mass to Earth. In October 2008, members of the networking website Bebo beamed A Message From Earth, a high-power transmission at Gliese 581 c, using the RT-70 radio telescope belonging to the National Space Agency of Ukraine. This transmission is due to arrive in the Gliese 581 system's vicinity by the year 2029; the earliest possible arrival for a response, should there be one, would be in 2049. Gliese 581 is also located in the Libra constellation. Could this phenomenon be an early response? There have been 20 interstellar messages sent out to near-by stars, but the earliest, Gliese 581, will not arrive until 2029. Could someone else received it? And isn't it interesting that the Russians were once again involved.

In the Vedic tradition, the 17th nakshatra Anurada is also called 'the star of success' and grants success to those who strive in foreign lands. In this case could foreign lands mean the arrival of space brothers or their message to the earth itself? Or does it sync with Obama receiving his award in Norway, as the new world's symbol for hope and 'peace'?

Anuradha's symbol is a lotus flower which represents the ability to blossom in the midst of the muddy and materialistic sides of life. Its power is radhana shakti, the power of worship. Moreover, Anuradha's success is attained through group work rather than individual achievement. Certainly many who witnessed this event were moved, and its magic is being spread by the internet. Is it a sign from star beings that we are part of its galactic family? Or cosmic firework display for the international group of scientists at CERN? Or weapons test in honor of Obama receiving the Nobel 'Peace' Prize?

A secondary symbol for Anuradha is a triumphal gateway adorned with leaves, which is echoed in symbolism of the rising sign of the Prashna chart, Vishakha. The repeated theme of the gateway is quite powerful and gives credence to the star gate theories.

Vishakha is 16th nakshatra called the 'star of purpose'. It includes the two constellations of Libra and Scorpio and is thus called 'two branched' or 'forked'. Vishakha is sometimes depicted as a large tree with forked and spreading branches that provide protection and produces fruit as it ripens with age. This tree of life represents the process of reaching and attaining one's goals.

But it is the two other symbols for Vishakha that intrigue me: the triumphal gate and potter's wheel.

At first glance this gate imagery resonnates with the placement of Venus in Anurada and suggests the stargate theory may be plausable. But in the case of Vishakha the triumphal gate comes not only with a celebration of success, but also a promise of challenge. It symbolizes the ending of the attainment of a goal and the beginning of a new one, as in the case of Obama receiving the Nobel Peace Prize as he faces the next challenge of Afganistan. Vishakha is a very goal-oriented nakshatra giving vyapani shakti, the power to achieve many and various fruits in life.

The third image for Vishakha is a potters wheel which symbolizes creativity and the cycles of time needed to build it. The Bible is full of references to the potter and clay. God created or prepared the earth, the clay, before he formed man, and out of it was he made:

And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground. Genesis 2:7.

We are the clay, and thou are Potter; and we all are the work of thy hand. Isaiah 64:8b

Arise, and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will cause thee to hear my words. Jeremiah 18:2

The spiraling wheel of the Norway light appeared while Vishakha, the gateway to the potter, was rising in the first house, the house of purpose and dharma. The ascendant does represent purpose, and the 'star of purpose', Vishakha, was rising on the horizon during this event. Perhaps the spiraling light in Norway may indeed be a sign of creation and how time is shifting. The light show concludes with a large black hole perhaps a wormhole to another dimension?

The spiral is a prevalent symbol in the neolithic world that may represent the goddess, cycles of time associated with the solstices, the milky way, or perhaps astronomical phenomenon that were more common in other times. Perhaps we are entering a field in space in which these energetic bursts will be more frequent. Or perhaps we are in a field of space in which our DNA is triggered so that we can see what is always there? Here are some spirals from our past:

Friday, December 4, 2009

December began under the influence of a beautiful and exalted full moon in Taurus, in the nakshatra Rohini. Rohini means 'the red one' and refers to the red star of Aldebaran in the eye of the constellation of the Bull. It is also named 'the star of ascent' and gives rise to prominence and influence in society. The ruling deity is Brahma, the creator of the universe. Also called Prajapati, the Creator gives rohana shakti, the power to grow. This lunar mansion is a prosperous nakshatra that may stir desire and sensory attachments. Its shadow side may involve seeking indulgence and luxury without considering the price.

It is interesting that the big headline this week is how the Salahis (with Michaele dressed in a Rohini red Indian sari) crashed the state dinner at the White House last week, perhaps as a stunt for the Bravo Reality TV show The Real Housewives of DC. Although the producers adamantly deny that it was a publicity stunt, the couple did appear on The Today Show, but did not accept the 'invitation' to a congressional hearing. More embarrassing legal trouble emerged today for the Salahis when they appeared in a Virginia courtroom to settle a debt with a gardener. In Vedic astrology gardens and landscaping are ruled by the moon which gave the legal advantage to the plaintiff. Ah, the price of fame.

Friday, November 13, 2009

The word flu is short for influenza. It comes from the Italian word for 'influence' and has meant 'epidemic' since at least 1504. Both the Italian and English words are ultimately derived from the Latin influere, meaning 'to flow in.' Ancient and Medieval minds believed that an ethereal liquid flowed from the stars and affected the destiny of humans, and thus the belief that the stars influence the course of disease is an old and pervasive one. But could there be a grain of truth in this ancient perception?

Last August I posted an article that revealed how ancient Sumerian, Babylonian, and Mesoamerican cultures described Venus Morningstar as a evil sign and portend of disease and destruction.

I believe its cycles may be used to look at pandemic patterns. I became curious if Venus cycles may hold some mathematical model for mutation of viruses as its 8 year pentagonal orbit pointed to a Fibonacci sequence or 5 element phase transition discussed in Chinese Medical models.

I did find other research that explored similar themes. However, the causative factor that these researchers suggested was very literal: that viruses exist in Venus' upper atmosphere without hosts and migrate to earth during certainly planetary lineups.

So you may ask, why doesn't the harsh radiation environment between Venus and Earth destroy in transit? Their answer: Venusian cloud-colony bacteria may serve as the viral hosts and, when clumped together, as radiation shielding viral spacecraft. But before you start laughing, check out this article posted by Space.com. Could the ethereal liquid described by ancient seers actually be a plasma burst that pushes viral clouds into the earth's atmosphere?

Since then I have found other research that points to another astronomical connection of influenza patterns with the 11 year sunspot cycles. This line of research intrigued me on a personal level because I have noticed a shift in my own health that corresponds to solar flare activity. I actually feel physically stronger and more awake when a CME (coronal mass ejection) showers the earth with charged protons. This feeling is actually what got me interested in space weather several years ago.

In 2004 John W.K. Yeung hypothesized that sunspot numbers can detect pandemic influenza A between 1700 and 2000 A.D. in this fascinating study.

This type of sunspot research has shown surprising correlations between sunspot activity and human health (and behavior). Historically mutations in the influenza virus, and subsequent flu pandemics, correlate to sunspot peaks.

During no less than 17 of the last solar cycles, sunspot peaks precede increased flu activity, including the 1918-19 "Spanish Flu" pandemic which followed a sunspot peak in 1917. During at least five of these periods, the Influenza-A virus underwent antigenic shifts that allowed the virus to bypass built-up immunity in the population. Could those five periods relate at all to one of the 5 inferior conjunctions of Venus?

Research conducted by Bio-meteorological Research Center in the Netherlands proposes that solar activity causes lowered human immunity in a 30 year study using 740,000 male subjects which demonstrated that blood sedimentation rates and resulting albumin and gamma globulin rates—changes with the sunspot cycle. However, this does not concur with my own experience of feeling stronger under increased activity, as though the Lyme's spirochete in my own body are dissolved by the increased photon activity. In my own case, my immunity 'feels' stronger, not weaker, when the KP index rises above 4. Now I'm wondering if it is the Lyme spirochetes or my own cells that are mutating and transforming under this solar activity.

According to historical records nearly all past flu pandemics coincided with Solar Maximums. However, in 2008 we began to enter what appears to be a deep solar minimum.

During this strange Solar Minimum NASA recorded no sunspots on 266 days in 2008 - a level of inactivity not seen since 1913 - and 2009 may be even quieter. And Sunspot Cycle 24 has been a little slow taking off triggering fevered debate among scientists about what it means for Earth's climate.

Ah, here's the problem with the sunspot theory in relationship to the H1N1 outbreak: we are no where near Solar Maximum and thus lack the high solar radiation that appears to have mutated the virus in the past.

So what else could have contributed to the mutation of H1N1? Although the sun has been quiet, cosmic rays have increased.

The number of cosmic rays reaching Earth are lower when the sun is active and has a strong, turbulent magnetic field that interferes with cosmic ray travel. But when the sun is not active, more cosmic rays reach Earth. The sun is supposed to be in an increasingly active period of Solar Cycle 24 with a solar maximum originally expected in 2011 to 2012. But the sun has been abnormally quiet. Scientists have not seen such a persistently low sunspot number for at least a century. Further, the magnetic field of the sun is at the lowest strength measured in at least 50 years.

Beginning six months ago, ACE satellite data showed a rise in cosmic rays reaching Earth from the Milky Way galaxy. By now, cosmic ray intensity has increased 19% because our sun is so quiet that its reduced magnetic field isn’t deflecting cosmic rays like it has the past few decades. If our sun remains quiet, there could be a 30% increase in cosmic rays reaching Earth in the next year or so – an intensity not seen since 1960. Increased cosmic rays can damage electronic systems and even DNA in living creatures.

So cosmic rays can also damage and mutate DNA, and perhaps lower our immunity making us more susceptible. But there is also evidence to the contrary: that cosmic rays may trigger evolutionary shifts? There is evidence that gamma ray bursts in the past may have triggered evolutionary shifts in humans. Andrew Collin's Cygnus Mystery is a fascinating study of archeological and geological evidence that points to this stellar influence on human evolution and consciousness.

Moreover, I feel sure that at least a proportion of the cosmic rays that arguably caused mutagenic changes in DNA during Palaeolithic times came from the direction of Cygnus [the Swan], the location searched originally both by anthropological writer Denis Montgomery and ex-NASA scientist and astronomer Aden Meinel for a source of cosmic rays hitting the Earth.

Such an intrusion into human consciousness from a deep space object in the Cygnus region might well explain why the cosmic bird [swan] has been at the heart of religious beliefs and practices since Palaeolithic times. Worldwide, there is a tradition concerning a sky-bird that either lays a cosmic egg which then becomes the universe, or gives forth a honk, or call, that brings the universe into manifestation. It is present in India, Egypt and even in the Pacific South Seas, and in each instance the bird is said to be represented by the stars of Cygnus.

The bird symbolism of Cygnus has a synchronistic connection to A-H1N1. The solar flare theory suggestions that Influenza A comes from birds whose migratory paths are effected by shifts in the magnetic fields that occur with CMEs.

Antigenic shift of influenza occurs is a result of genetic reassortment between animal and human influenza A viruses. It is suggested the viruses spread from the migratory birds to other avian species such as chicken or ducks along their migratory pathways. Solar activity has an influence on terrestrial climate in terms of temperature, rainfall, storms and finally the biological systems. It was shown that the arrival dates of some migratory birds were delayed with increased sunspot numbers. This delay arrival may be associated with increased contacts with other susceptible birds in their migratory routes that facilitate genetic reassortment of the circulating influenza viruses.

Whether local (solar) or galactic (cosmic), bursts of radiation appear to be shifting and altering life on a cellular level. There is even evidence that viruses have themselves triggered changes in human evolution. For example, when the mapping of the human genome was completed in 2003, researchers discovered a shocking fact: our bodies are littered with the shards of retroviruses, fragments of the chemical code from which all genetic material is made. Virus may have contributed to our own evolution.

So if this round of influenza was not triggered by solar flares of an active sun, or even cosmic rays, what else may have mutated H1N1? Conspiracy circles certainly have suggested that this virus was bio-engineered, and the pandemic a man-made event. As this article suggests,the truth is probably more prosaic: the virus is far more likely to be a product of our lust for bacon than of a hatred for humanity.

Certainly there is plenty of evidence that inhumane farming practices have created breeding grounds for mutant strains of influenza. But I have to say the re-framing of the 'Swine Flu' as A-H1N1 may allay some pork eaters fears, but does create grist for the cynics mill.

Once again I return to my Venus Morningstar theory. Last Spring when Venus was at her inferior conjunction with the sun, she was retrograde in the sign of her exaltation, Pisces, which reverses and creates a debilitation. Moreover, she was conjunct a debilitated Mercury in Pisces. Astrologically this line up indicates that the asuras, ie viruses, were no longer kept in line. Astronomically the sun was quiet, but had we experienced a solar flare, perhaps the virus would have been more virulent. This fall Venus was temporarily debilitated again and the numbers of cases of H1N1 increased, but were far below the numbers predicted by the WHO. Again, perhaps we are avoiding a bullet by experiencing this deep solar minimum.

Venus will make her superior conjunction on January 13, 2010 and return to her sweet position as evening star, goddess of love for 10 months. She will continue to dance between the earth and sun as morningstar and eveningstar, as she has done since the beginning of human time.

In Hindu mythology Venus is called Shukra, the son of the great seer Bhrigu who was an astrologer that taught Venus all of the spiritual sciences and scriptures. According to Vedic tradition Venus is the preceptor, or teacher, of the asuras, demons or lost souls. The word asura is derived from the root Asu, meaning 'to breath' or 'to be'. According to the Bhagavad Gita (16.6), all beings in the Universe partake either of the divine qualities (Daivi Sampad = suras) or the demonic qualities (Asuri Sampad = asuras). Perhaps Venus is not a harbinger of plagues, but a gate keeper who watches over shifts of consciousness and evolutionary change of both suras and asuras alike.

Namaste!

UPDATE:

One last thought on Venus Morningstar and Solar Flares: Perhaps the reason Venus Morningstar was described as a disease-producing position is that the planet Venus would rise with the sun and therefore be more susceptible to solar flare activity than Venus Evening star, whose position would be away from the sun? Could a Venusian-viral cloud truly be carried by a CME? This may explain why the Maya tracked both Venus and the Sun in their calendar systems. It would make a fascinating research project to check the solar flare data with Venus cycles, anyone?

Saturday, October 31, 2009

November begins under the influence of the full moon in Aries, in the nakshatra Bharani. Bharani means "she who bears" which indicates the ability to endure hard work. Its power is to cleanse and remove impurities, apabharani shakti. Although its symbol is the yoni, or vagina, 'bearing' does not necessarily mean 'bearing' children, but rather the capacity to receive, hold, nurture, and destroy. The yoni also represents a doorway through which a soul enters the physical plane. The deity connected to this nakshatra is Yama, one of the eight gate-keepers and god of death. Yama guides souls back to the astra plane where it realizes the results of its karma from the present life, and prepares for the next. Extremes, such as birth and death, may be experienced under the influence of Bharani.

The moon in Aries is also in exchange with Mars in Cancer, called Parivartana Yoga. The mutual exchange of signs binds the planets together in a special yoga in which each planet then acts as though its in its own sign, or mulatrikona. A parivartana yoga will always increase the power of the two houses that each planet rules and is placed. It will also increase the power of the two grahas (planets) involved, for good or bad. In the case of this full moon chart, the moon rules the 8th house of death and is placed in the 5th house of creativity, children, and past life credit. As both the Moon and Mars are benefics for a Sagittarius rising, this exchange might indicate a release of creativity, or resolution of some karma. However with Pluto, the planet of transformation, rising on the horizon in the nakshatra of Mula, the home of the galactic center, it might be something more intense. Perhaps even some astronomical event like increased cosmic or gamma rays.

Moreover, the full moon is part of a Grand Cardinal T-Square or wide-angled Grand Cross with Sun in Libra, Mars in Cancer, and Jupiter (at a wide orb) in Capricorn. In a T-square, the tension and awareness created by the two planets in opposition (Sun/Moon) is resolved either by the planet receiving the double square (Mars). A Grand Square configuration has the energy potential of building stress and tension until it has to be released. At that point, some sort of action needs to happen. Squares can generate the energy of feeling insecure and uncomfortable. The Cardinal signs (Aries, Cancer, Libra, Capricorn) take action. A Cardinal Square may not be able to take action in time. Or the Cardinal need to be first creates situation in which they may charge in to get things done. For this configuration to occur at a full moon indicates there will be clarity around any action, or it will be the fruition of what has been initiated. Or since all of the planets aspecting the moon are debilitated, their influence will not be as strong as the moon itself.

Venus enters Libra, Rahu/Ketu enter Sagittarius/Gemini November 3, 2009The day after the full moon two major changes take place: Venus, in the morning star position, enters its own sign of Libra. Venus becomes more powerful now indicating it is a time to heal our differences. Relationships become sweeter. Social activities expand, luxurious purchases increase, arts and creativity are inspired, education gets a boost, and devotional practices are deep and profound . However, as I noted in a previous article posted on August 29, 2009, there may be a connection between Venus morning star and epidemics. Let's hope the expansion of health will not extend to the asura-like wee beasties known as H1N1, and instead Venus will use her abundant power keep them under control.

The best news is that Rahu/Ketu will leave Capricorn/Cancer and enter Sagittarius/Gemini for the next 18 months. Rahu has been traveling with a debilitated Jupiter in Capricorn. As Rahu's shadowy nature is to expand what ever it comes into contact with, its influence has been especially toxic to a weakened Jupiter, planet of optimism, good fortune, and spirituality. The incredible mess of the US economy is reflected in this toxic combination in which the bail out was not closely monitored, and the Pigs fed further at the Trough. Jupiter will finally exit its sign of debilitation and head into brighter star fields on December 19, 2009 at which time all the things that Jupiter rules -- finances, wealth, money, spirituality, wisdom, knowledge and truth -- will be restored. Hang in there!

About Me

I began this blog a few years ago to post my thoughts and interpretations of astrological and astronomical events. My perspective is based on the alchemical principle of 'as above, so below.' As an acupuncturist I am trained to look at patterns to uncover how the macrocosm is reflected in the microcosm. As a Vedic astrologer I have come to realize that the planets and stars are living beings that transmit information to those who know how to listen. The ancient seers and mystics could hear their messages and developed practices like yoga, meditation, and Astrology (in Sanskrit Jyotisha means the 'science of light') to help us find union with the cosmos. The language of the stars is one of light and sound that steps down to human consciousness in the form of symbols and archetypes. The intention of this blog to to simply share what the stars have to say.

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I have two sisters sites. Starsyncs (click here) demonstrates how some of the astrological aspects that I discuss in starworlds show up in the news and media. Taoworlds (click here) examines the path of healing, both for patient and practitioner, from an alchemical perspective which is the root of Chinese medicine.

Om Gaṃ Ganapataye Namah

Lord Ganesha represents the power of the Supreme Being that removes obstacles and ensures success in human endeavors. For this reason, Hindus worship Ganesha first before beginning any religious, spiritual or worldly activity. Lord Ganesha is also the protector of travellers, healers, and astrologers.

Om Namah Shivaya

Lord Shiva represents the aspect of the Supreme Being that continuously dissolves to recreate in the cyclic process of creation, preservation, dissolution and recreation of the universe.

Saraswati is the Goddess of leaming, knowledge, and wisdom. The Sanskrit word sara means "essence" and swa means "self." Thus Saraswati means "the essence of the self." Saraswati is represented in Hindu mythology as the divine consort of Lord Brahma, the Creator of the universe. Since knowledge is necessary for creation, Saraswati symbolizes the creative power of Brahma. Goddess Saraswati is worshipped by all persons interested in knowledge, especially students, teachers, scholars, and scientists.

What is the Difference between Vedic and Western Astrology: 23 Degrees, Nakshatras, and Sidereal

Twenty-three is my quick answer to the question: "what is the difference between Vedic Astrology and Western astrology?" I don't mean to be cryptic, but 23 degrees is literally the difference between the Tropical and Sidereal zodiacs. It is called the Ayanamsha -- in Sanskrit ayana meaning solstice and amsha meaning portion -- and it refers to the difference between Tropical and Sidereal zodiacs.

The zodiac is a ring of constellations often referred to as signs, such as Aquarius, Leo, Scorpio and Taurus. It is a cosmic clock around which our solar systems operates and how astrologers measure cycles of time. Most people do not realize that there are two distinct zodiacs. Vedic astrologers use the Sidereal zodiac and Western astrologers use the Tropical zodiac. The Sidereal zodiac is based on observations of planets lining up against the backdrop of the fixed stars. It is oriented to the center of the galaxy. On the other hand, the Tropical zodiac is based on the relationship between the sun and earth. It is oriented to the equinoxes. In Western astrology the spring equinox sets the beginning of the Tropical zodiac at 1 degree Aries, even though the sun is astronomically traveling in the light fields of Pisces. In other words, it does not correspond to observable position. Vedic astrology is called Jyotisha in Sanskrit, meaning the science of light, and Vedic astrology describes how the light emitted from the stars effects us. When Western astrology was in its early stages, the two zodiacs may have lined up; but over time the two moved apart approximately 50 seconds per year to the current 23 degrees of separation (even that number is debated, but the standard of India, the Lahiri ayanamsha is 23 degrees 10 seconds).

Vedic astrology is considered by scholars to pre-date Western astrology and is the only system that has accounted for the precession of the equinoxes. What is the precession of the equinoxes? The answer to that involves another occurrence of the number 23 (those familiar with the enigma of 23, like LOST and RAW fans, may find this amusing). Because Earth's axis is tilted 23° 27' in its orbit around the sun, its equatorial plane is tilted with respect to the ecliptic plane, the plane created by Earth's orbit. These two intersecting planes create an intersecting line called the vernal axis that occurs on the first day of spring, or Vernal equinox. As the Earth spins on its axis, its axis wobbles (precesses 50.3 seconds of arc per year or 1 degree every 71.6 years) very slowly over a period of about 24,000 to 26,000 years. As this occurs, the pole of the Earth inscribes an arc in the heavens called the precessional arc. The Earth's pole aligns with different stars throughout the precessional period. The current pole star is Polaris. Approximately 13,000 year ago it was Vega, one of my favorite stars. Earth's precessional cycle is also referred to as Earth's Great Year in the alchemical tradition, World Ages, or Yugas in the Vedas. David Frawley describes it a one year in the life of humanity.

In Vedic astrology there is a line of thought that suggests this 24,000-26,000 cycle (and even wobble of the earth itself) maybe be generated by a grand cycle of our sun with a companion dark star. Modern astronomy is studying this possibility as well. The ancient Vedic seers divided up the cycle into four world ages: the Satya(Truth or Golden), Treta (Third or Silver), Dwapara (Third or Bronze) and Kali (first or Iron) Ages. Each age describes a stage of awareness for mankind in which consciousness ascends, descends, and ascends in unending cycles perhaps due to the influence of this yet to be discovered companion star. Although New Age philosophers have described humanity as entering the Age of Aquarius, astronomically speaking that will not happen for approximately 300-400 years.

According to Vedic thought, the cycles of ascending and descending consciousness are connected not only to our rotation around a companion star, but also our cycle around the galactic center. According to David Frawley, "Vedic astrology orients the zodiac to the galactic center, or the central galactic sun, whose influence comes to us through fixed stars of the constellation Sagittarius." The galactic center is like our cosmic belly button -- it is sometimes called Vishnunabhi, or the navel of Vishnu-- the point from which our galaxy grew and expanded. Many ancient cultures studied and recorded their observations about this area of the night sky, including the Mayans whose calendar marks an astronomical event of our winter solstice aligning with the galactic center in 2012. It's like the earth's pole or antenna will be aligned and open to receive message from the source itself. [H]ohm is calling.

One of the most brilliant developments of the ancient Vedic seers was to further divide the zodiac into more identifiable parts. They did this by creating the Nakshatra system. In Sanskrit Nakshatra means lunar mansion. As the moon travels through the entire zodiac in 27-28 days, the ancient seers ascribed a Nakshatra for each day simplifying its location. Although too vast a subject to go into in this post, it is interesting to point out that the name for the Nakstratra that marks the galactic center is Mula, meaning root or source.

Another difference between Western and Vedic astrology is the modern use of non-observable planets and asteroids. As a Neo-Vedic astrologer I do consider some of the outer planets when I look at a chart, but I tend to be more interested in the fixed stars and Nakshatras. I marvel at how Western astrologers bring in new astronomical discoveries to their chart interpretations. Basically I see Western charts as a map of the same terrain as a Vedic chart, but indicating different types or levels of information. It's like comparing a topological map with a road map. I don't need to know the difference of elevation between Broadway and 3rd Avenue, but I might like to know the street number of Benaroya Hall. It all depends on what type of information one is seeking. Vedic astrologers come from a tradition and philosophy that focuses on the four aims of life: dharma (purpose), arthra (attainment), kama (desire),and the most important moksha (liberation). Western astrology is enriched by many diverse traditions and the information gleaned from it may be quite extensive and more suited for the modern mind. But for me, I've always been drawn to the stars in the night sky and have felt them speak to me in the language of light. And as Jyotisha is the science of light, it is the tool and filter I use to translate this information.